BRS Leader K Kavitha Released On Bail After 5 Months In Jail

New Delhi: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha walked out of jail on Tuesday night after the Supreme Court granted her bail in the Delhi excise policy case. Kavitha had been in custody for five months, with the case being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Emotional Reunion and Political Resolve

Upon her release, Kavitha expressed her gratitude to her supporters and shared an emotional moment with her family. “I became emotional after meeting my son, brother, and husband today after almost 5 months,” she said. Kavitha also blamed political motives for her imprisonment, stating, “The country knows that I was put in jail only because of politics. I did not make any mistake. We are fighters, and we will fight it out legally and politically.”

Supreme Court’s Bail Decision

The Supreme Court, in a ruling by a bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan, ordered Kavitha’s immediate release. The court imposed strict conditions for her bail, including the submission of her passport and regular attendance at trial proceedings. Kavitha was required to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh each for the CBI and ED cases.

The court emphasized that Kavitha must not tamper with evidence or attempt to influence witnesses during the ongoing trial. “The appellant is directed to be forthwith released on bail in both cases. She shall not make any attempt to tamper with evidence or influence the witnesses,” the court ruled.

Court Questions Investigating Agencies

During the hearing, the Supreme Court questioned the evidence presented by the CBI and ED against Kavitha. The bench noted that the investigation was complete and that the chargesheet had been filed, making her continued custody unnecessary. The court further stated that undertrial custody should not be used as a form of punishment, especially when the trial’s conclusion is uncertain.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Kavitha, argued that the investigation was already complete and compared her case to that of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia, who was also granted bail in the same cases.

Allegations of Evidence Tampering

The additional solicitor general, S V Raju, representing the investigating agencies, alleged that Kavitha had destroyed or formatted her mobile phone, which he claimed amounted to evidence tampering. Rohatgi dismissed the allegation as “bogus.”

Criticism of Delhi High Court’s Denial of Bail

The Supreme Court also criticized the Delhi High Court’s earlier decision to deny Kavitha bail, describing the high court’s reasoning that bail could not be granted simply because a woman is educated and independent as “perverse” and ordered it to be quashed.

Background of the Case

K Kavitha, the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was arrested by the ED in Hyderabad on March 15 and by the CBI on April 11 while she was in Tihar Jail. The high court had previously rejected her bail applications, citing her alleged involvement as a key conspirator in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

Kavitha’s release marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the Delhi excise policy case, with her vowing to continue her fight both legally and politically.